Shade orientating device for large-sized umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella includes a shade orientating device arranged between upper and lower sections of a post. The upper section supports a shade. The shade orientating device includes an upper segment mounted to the upper post section, an intermediate segment connected to the upper segment by a first pivot, a lower segment mounted to the lower post section and connected to the intermediate segment by a second pivot. Thus, the upper segment is rotatable with respect to the intermediate segment about the first pivot pin and the rotation of the upper segment is controlled by a first controller. The intermediate segment is rotatable with respect to the lower segment about the second pivot pin and the rotation of the intermediate segment is controlled by a second controller. Arbitrary combinations of the rotations of the upper and intermediate segments orientate the shade at any desired direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a large-sized umbrella having a post supporting a shade, and in particular to a spherical joint based shade orientating device arranged between upper and lower sections of the post to selectively orientate the shade at any desired direction.

2. The Related Arts

Shade orientating devices have been used in large-sized umbrellas for controlling direction of inclination of the umbrella to selectively shield against intense sun light or simply for landscaping arrangement purposes.

The conventional shade orientating devices only allow the umbrella to move in a single plane, such as east-westward plane or north-southward plane. In other words, the shade can be inclined in a direction toward for example east/west or north/south but not both. This limits the capacity and performance of the large-sized umbrella.

One way to overcome the drawback is manually rotating a central post that supports the shade to point the inclined shade toward any desired orientation. However, manually rotating the central post may affect positioning of the umbrella on for example the ground for the engagement between the central post and an umbrella base that is positioned on the ground may be unexpectedly broken or gets loosened. In addition, the operation of manually rotating the central post is troublesome.

The present invention is made to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional shade orientating device for large-sized umbrellas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella shade orientating device comprising upper, intermediate, lower segments pivoted to each other by pivot pins extending in different directions to allow the upper segment to rotate about the two different directions with respect to the lower segment for arbitrary orientation and inclination of a shade coupled to the upper segment and thus enhancing operability and convenience of use of the large-sized umbrella.

To realize the above object, an umbrella provided by the present invention comprises a shade orientating device arranged between upper and lower sections of a central post of the umbrella. The upper central post section supports a shade on an upper end thereof. The shade orientating device comprises an upper segment mounted to the upper central post section, an intermediate segment pivoted to the upper segment by a first pivot pin, a lower segment mounted to the lower central post section and pivoted to the intermediate segment by a second pivot pin, which is preferably perpendicular to the first pivot pin. Thus, the upper segment is rotatable with respect to the intermediate segment about the first pivot pin and the rotation of the upper segment is controlled by a first controller. The intermediate segment is rotatable with respect to the lower segment about the second pivot pin and the rotation of the intermediate segment is controlled by a second controller.

Based on the above arrangement of the present invention, the upper segment of the shade orientating device is allowed to rotate with respect to the lower segment about two directions. This allows the shade carried by the upper segment to be orientated in any desired direction by the combination of rotations of the upper and intermediate segments.

The controller can be embodied in different forms, such as a rotatable ring that is allowed to rotate about the lower central post section and the rotation is converted into rotational motion of the upper segment or intermediate segment by a linkage connected between the rotatable ring and the upper or intermediate segment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to clearly show and make better comprehension of these and other features and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will now be described by way of examples, with reference to embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of a large-sized umbrella in which a shade orientating device in accordance with the present invention is embodied, the shade orientating device being circled with phantom lines;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the shade orientating device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows another side elevational view of the shade orientating device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shade orientating device of the present invention in a secured condition;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the shade orientating device of the present invention in a released condition;

FIG. 6 shows a side elevational view of a large-sized umbrella in which a shade orientating device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is embodied, the shade orientating device being circled with phantom lines;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the shade orientating device of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is another cross-sectional view of the shade orientating device of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating rotation of an intermediate segment with respect to a lower segment of the shade orientating device; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating rotation of an upper segment with respect to the intermediate segment of the shade orientating device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a large-sized umbrella, which is broadly designated with reference numeral 10, is shown and comprises a central post supporting a shade 13 at an upper end thereof. A shade orientating device constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral 20 in FIG. 1, is embodied in the umbrella 10. The shade orientating device 20 in accordance with the present invention is particularly circled with phantom lines in FIG. 1 for easy identification and is more clearly shown in FIG. 2 in an exploded form.

As shown in FIG. 1, the central post of the umbrella 10 is comprised of upper and lower sections 11, 12. The shade orientating device 20 is arranged and connecting between the upper and lower sections 11, 12 of the central post for selectively orientating the shade 13 toward any desired direction and controlling the inclination of the shade 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shade orientating device 20 comprises an upper segment 21, an intermediate segment 22, and a lower segment 23, which can be all lined up in an axial direction as a single bar. A lower end of the lower segment 23 is fixed to an upper end of the lower central post section 12 and an upper end of the upper segment 21 is fixed to a lower end of the upper central post section 11. Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of ribs is movably attached to a crown mounted to the upper end of the upper central post section 11 to support and open/close the shade 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper segment 21 and the * intermediate segment 22 are pivoted to each other by a first pivot pin 24, and are releasably retained in position with respect to each other by a first manually operable controller 26. Actuation/release of the first controller 26 allows the upper and intermediate segments 21, 22 to be selectively rotated with respect to each other about the first pivot pin 24 for angularly re-positioning and re-secured in the new position.

The intermediate segment 22 is further pivoted to the lower segment 23 by a second pivot pin 25. The intermediate segment 22 and the lower segment 23 are releasably retained in position with respect to each other by a second manually operable controller 27. Actuation/release of the second controller 26 allows the intermediate and the lower segments 22, 23 to be selectively rotated with respect to each other about the second pivot pin 24 for angularly re-positioning and re-secured in the new position.

The second pivot pin 25 is arranged at an angle with respect to the first pivot pin 24, and preferably and as shown in the embodiment illustrated, at a 90 degree angle. In other words, the first and second pivot pins 24, 25 are substantially perpendicular to each other in the embodiment illustrated. However, it is not necessary to be so and the first and second pivot pins 24, 25 can be arbitrarily orientated provided they are not substantially parallel to or coincident with each other. This arrangement makes the upper segment 21 rotatable about two non-parallel rotational axes with respect to the lower segment 23 for orientating the shade 13 at any desired direction.

Also referring to FIG. 4, the first controller 26 comprises an elongate body axially extending through aligned holes (not labeled) defined in the intermediate segments 21, 22, preferably substantially parallel to the first pivot pin 24, and is movable between a secured position and a released position. An outer end of the first controller 26 projects out of the holes and is thus accessible by a user for manual actuation of the first controller 26. An opposite inner end of the first controller 26 forms a pawl 28. The first controller 26 is biased by a biasing element 29 toward the secured position. The biasing element 29 is preferably a spring, serving as a return spring, and the first controller 26 is set by a spring at a normally secured condition.

A plurality of notches 30, engageable with the pawl 28 of the first controller 26, is formed on the upper segment 21 and is distributed along an arc line concentric with the first pivot pin 24, whereby each notch 30 defines a particular relative angular position between the upper and intermediate segments 21, 22. The pawl 28 is normally biased by the biasing element 29 toward the secured position where the pawl 28 engages a particular one of the notches 30 thereby securing the upper segment 21 at a desired, particular angular position with respect to the intermediate segment 22 (as well as the first pivot pin 24).

By manually actuating the first controller 26 in a direction against the biasing element 29, such as depressing the first controller 26 in this case, to drive the pawl 28 from the secured position to the released position, the pawl 28 is forced out of engagement with the notch 30, as shown in FIG. 5. This allows the upper segment 21 to freely rotate with respect to the intermediate segment 22 and thus allowing the upper segment 21 to change relative angular position thereof with respect to the intermediate segment 22 (as well the first pivot pin 24). By removing the actuation force, the pawl 28 is automatically returned to the secured position and gets engagement with another notch 30 to secure the upper segment 21 at a desired new angular position with respect to the intermediate segment 22.

The second controller 27 has exactly the same structure and thus operation as those of the first controller 26, except that the second controller 27 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the second pivot pin 25 and is rotatably supported in holes defined in the lower segment 23 and has a spring-biased pawl (not shown) engageable with notches 31 formed in the intermediate segment 22 and distributed along an arc line concentric with the second pivot pin 25 to releasably secure the intermediate segment 22 at a particular angular position with respect to the lower segment 23 (as well as the second pivot pin 25). Similarly, depressing the second controller 27, against the biasing spring, disengages the pawl of the second controller 27 from the notch 31 of the intermediate segment 22 and thus allowing the intermediate segment 22 to freely rotate to any desired angular position with respect to the lower segment 23.

By properly setting the angular positions among the upper, intermediate, and lower segments 21, 22, 23, the shade 13 supported on the upper segment 21 can be orientated to any desired direction with respect to the lower segment 23. For example, the first and second pivot pins 24, 25 are arranged at east-westward direction and north-southward direction, respectively, whereby the upper segment 21 is allowed to incline in both east-westward direction and north-southward direction. A combination of the inclination provided by the pivot pins 24, 25 would allow the shade 13 to incline toward any desired direction.

FIG. 6 shows a large-sized umbrella 40 in which a shade orientating device constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and generally designated with reference numeral 50, is embodied. The shade orientating device 50 is particularly circled with phantom lines in FIG. 6 and is more clearly shown in the subsequent drawings, namely FIGS. 7-10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the shade orientating device 50 is arranged between upper and lower sections 41, 42 of a central post of the umbrella 40 to selectively orientate a shade 43, which is supported on the upper central post section 41, toward any desired direction and controlling the inclination of the shade 43.

The shade orientating device 50 comprises an upper segment 51, an intermediate segment 52, and a lower segment 53. A lower end of the lower segment 53 is fixed to an upper end of the lower central post section 42 and an upper end of the upper segment 51 is fixed to a lower end of the upper central post section 41. Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of ribs is movably attached to the upper end of the upper central post section 41 to support the shade 43. The umbrella 40 further comprises a crank arm mechanism 44 for manually and selectively opening/closing the shade 43.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the upper segment 51 and the intermediate segment 52 are pivoted to each other by a first pivot pin 45. A first manually operable controller ring 54 is movably mounted on the lower central post section 42 and is coupled by a first linkage 56, which is movably accommodated in a tubular portion of the lower central post section 42, to the upper segment 51. The first linkage 56 and the first controller ring 45 are so arranged that rotation of the first controller ring 45 is converted by the first linkage 56 into a rotational movement of the upper segment 51 about the first pivot pin 54, as shown in FIG. 10.

The intermediate segment 52 is also pivoted to the lower segment 53 by a second pivot pin 55. A second manually operable controller ring 46 is movably mounted on the lower central post section 42 and is coupled by a second linkage 57, which is also movably accommodated in the tubular portion of the lower central post section 42, to the intermediate segment 52. The second linkage 57 and the second controller ring 46 are so arranged that rotation of the second controller ring 46 is converted by the second linkage 57 into a rotational movement of the intermediate segment 52 about the second pivot pin 55, as shown in FIG. 9.

A user may rotate the first and second controller rings 45, 46 at the same time with both hands. The upper and intermediate segments 51, 52 are caused to rotate about the first and second pivot pins 54, 55 to orientate the shade. 43 that is supported on the upper central post section 41 to which the upper segment 51 is fixed toward any desired direction. By properly rotating the upper and intermediate segments 51, 52, the shade 43 can be orientated to any desired direction with respect to the lower central post section 42. For example, the first and second pivot pins 54, 55 are arranged at east-westward direction and north-southward direction, respectively, whereby the upper segment 51 is allowed to incline in both east-westward direction and north-southward direction. A combination of the inclination provided by the pivot pins 54, 55 would allow the shade 43 to incline toward any desired direction.

Although two different mechanisms for rotation among the upper, intermediate, and lower segments have been described to demonstrate the present invention, apparently, known mechanisms other than the above described can also be employed to control and adjust the rotation among the upper, intermediate, and lower segments for setting the inclination and orientation of the umbrella shade.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 

1. A shade orientating device adapted to adjust and control inclination and orientation of a shade supported on a central post of an umbrella, the central post being composed of upper and lower sections between which shade orientating device is arranged, the shade orientating device comprising: an upper segment having a lower end mounted to the upper section of the central post and an upper end supporting the shade; an intermediate segment connected to the upper segment by a first pivot to allow relative rotation between the upper and intermediate segments; a lower segment mounted to the lower section of the central post, and connected to the intermediate segment by a second pivot that forms an angle with respect to the first pivot to allow relative rotation between the intermediate and lower segments; a first controller operable to selectively secure the upper and intermediate segments to each other at a first relative angular position and/or to release the upper and intermediate segments from each other to allow change of the first relative angular position between the upper and intermediate segments; and a second controller operable to selectively secure the intermediate and the lower segments to each other at a second relative angular position and/or to release the intermediate and lower segments from each other to allow change of the second relative angular position between the intermediate and lower segments.
 2. The shade orientating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first controller comprise an elongate body movably supported by the intermediate segment, the elongate body forming a pawl engageable with notches defined in the upper segment, the first controller being biased to have the pawl engaging a particular one of the notches to set the upper segment at the first angular position with respect to the intermediate segment, and wherein the first controller is manually movable against the biasing to disengage the pawl from the notch to allow rotation of the upper segment for change of the first angular position.
 3. The shade orientating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second controller comprise an elongate body movably supported by the lower segment, the elongate body forming a pawl engageable with notches defined in the intermediate segment, the second controller being biased to have the pawl engaging a particular one of the notches to set the intermediate segment at the second angular position with respect to the lower segment, and wherein the second controller is manually movable against the biasing to disengage the pawl from the notch to allow rotation of the intermediate segment with respect to the lower segment for change of the second angular position.
 4. The shade orientating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle between the first and second pivots is 90 degrees.
 5. A shade orientating device adapted to adjust and control inclination and orientation of a shade supported on a central post of an umbrella, the central post being composed of upper and lower sections between which shade orientating device is arranged, the shade orientating device comprising: an upper segment having a lower end mounted to the upper section of the central post and an upper end supporting the shade; an intermediate segment connected to the upper segment by a first pivot to allow relative rotation between the upper and intermediate segments; a lower segment mounted to the lower section of the central post, and connected to the intermediate segment by a second pivot that forms an angle with respect to the first pivot to allow relative rotation between the intermediate and lower segments; a first controller ring movably mounted to the lower section of the central post for manual operation; a first linkage connected between the first controller ring and the upper segment for converting movement of the first controller ring into a rotational motion of the upper segment about the first pivot to set a first relative angular position between the upper and intermediate segments; a second controller ring movably mounted to the lower section of the central post for manual operation; and a second linkage connected between the second controller ring and the intermediate segment for converting movement of the second controller ring into a rotational motion of the intermediate segment about the second pivot to set a second relative angular position between the intermediate and lower segments. 